Pmdx 126, 107, 2-133, and ess and mach 4

[woodfish510]

Hi gang.
  First post for me. So I'm newbe when comes to all this. I got my machine built. Now i'm working on controll box. I think I got the inputs and outputs using the ess. However i'm a little confused on how to setup for 2 133 boards inputs and outputs. Can any one post how I do this? Thanks in advance cause I know there will be a lot of questions. Also my vfd hookup. I do not have hung model. I have the clone to it and I know it has a different wiring  setup. I was thinking about tring to sell it and get one of hung model. The most popular one. There is a lot of help on the net for that.
Dave
 
Any body in Reading, PA area that could give me hands on help?
Thanks again!

[woodfish510]

Forgot to mention will be running 5 nema 34 stepper motors.
I have  been buying parts over several years. I'm going to have a rotary axis on my machine. Some older parts then the new stuff  out today. My motors come from from keling
5.5 amps do I need to add resistors to these? My power supply is a antec 80 amp. It has on board 12 and 5 volt output termials. I got every thing powered up. No faults as yet. Also will be pnp sensors on all three axis for homing and  stopping. Wiring of these in think I got but still looking for help for stupid.
Thanks

[12strings]

The PDMX-133 boards are for step/direction output only.  Inputs will go directly in to the PMDX-126, as will any non-step/dir outputs.

There is a diagram in the PMDX-133 manual that shows how to daisy chain two of them (basically a ribbon cable from the 126 to the first 133, then another ribbon cable from the first 133 to the second.  There is also a table somewhere in the PMDX-133 manual that tells you which parallel port pin goes to the step and direction signals for each motor.  On the PMDX-126 and SS, these step/dir signals will all be on parallel port #1.

Experiment with one motor at a time.  You can use the PMDX-126's built-in step generator to test this (PMDX-126 "test" mode), or start directly in Mach.

Configure and test one thing at a time.  Get that one thing working them move on to the next.

I don't know what you mean about adding resistors to the motors.  Are you asking about the motor current setting on the Gecko motor drivers (and I presume you are using GeckoDrive products since you have the PMDX-133s).

[woodfish510]

thanks for reply.
 this input and output pin configuration is confusing. I tried all kinds of settings. and not working yet.  however when
I got the motors wired they get warm don't know if that means anything. also I get no conflicts.
.

 as far as resistors, yes  it was for motors. I'm not sure if I need them. I'm running the 203v geckos.   

[12strings]

The motors getting warm means that the G203V is driving them.  Yes, you need the current set resistors for the G203V unless you are running your motors at 7 amps.

For the PMDX-133 and step/dir mappings, look at table 5 in the 133 manual.  The "input" in the caption means this connector is where signals come in to the PMDX-133.  In you case, this is the first of the two PMDX-133 boards, though the pinout in this table includes both boards.  Hmmmm... I may be any clearer...

OK.  Let me try again.  The "first" 133 board is the one connected directly to the 126.  In Mach, parallel port 1 pins 2 and 3 will map to "axis #1" on this first 133 board.  Likewise, pins 4 and 5 map to "axis #2" on the first 133, and pins 6 and 7 map to axis #3" on the first 133.  Parallel port 1 pins 8 and 9 pass through to the second 133 board as "axis #1" on the second 133 (which the table shows as axis #4).  Parallel port 1 pins 1 and 14 go to "axis #2" on the second 133 board, and pins 16 and 17 go to "axis #3" on the second 13 board.

That should get your motors running.

[woodfish510]

I will have check this out. Most likly wouldn't be till weekend. I work long hours and don't get much time during the week.
Thanks

[woodfish510]

One question tho would that be input or output pins in mach or ess config.

[12strings]

One question tho would that be input or output pins in mach or ess config.

Neither???  I don't know.  I can spell "ESS", and I've seen the Mach4 ESS config dialogs once, a couple years ago.  I can't help you (much) with that side of things.

Somewhere in the ESS configuration dialogs should be a place where you define which ESS pins correspond to step and direction for which motor.  You want to assign ESS port 1 (I think they number their parallel ports 1, 2 and 3) and pin numbers from the table in the 133 manual I mentioned earlier.

Keep in mind that in Mach4 there are two levels of abstraction regarding motors.  The lowest level is "motor".  Motors have step and direction signals, acceleration and max velociteis, and optionally limit and home switches.  The 2nd level is "axis", and you can map one or more motors to each axis (for example, a gantry axis with 2 motors running the gantry).

[woodfish510]

That's the way I have pins configured. But motors still don't run. Maybe I'll have to check the wire connections on boards. Maybe I got them backwards or plug in the wrong ports.  followed the documents and still nothing. Weird ..

[12strings]

Have you tried using the PMDX-126's built-in test mode to generate step pulses and see if the motors move?  The pulse rate from the 126 is kinda slow so you may have to pay close attention.  But it will at least show you whether the wiring from the 126 to the 133s to the motor drivers is correct.

[woodfish510]

Yes motors move under test button. but I still cannot get them to move under mach 4 and ess. I'm using a old Dell table top pc. Pc sees and communicates with ess. That's as far as it gets. I tried all the pin setting in ess manual and also some from YouTube. Nothing.. been working at this for 3 weekends and not getting anywhere. I know,, read and follow been doing that.. Guess I'm the dummy here. Does any body have have step by step guide with pin settings that work? Really need help with this. Building machine no promlems there and putting control box together. It's the software that got me stuck..
Any help guys, please..
Thanks
Pmdx 126 Rev c, 107,  ess. 2 -133 host boards Dairy chainedible. Just 126 manual states. All hooked up with pmdx cables.

[12strings]

Before I suggest the Warp9 forums, can you get ANY output signal on the PMDX-126 to work from Mach4 and the ESS?  For example, can you assign port 1 pin 1 to "spindle on".  Then turn on the spindle and see if the large relay on the 126 turns on?  Or how about any input signal?  For example, Etop (PMDX-126 port  pin 10)?  Use the "Machine Diagnostics" tab in Mach4 to look at the input signals.

Hmmm...  Does the ESS number their parallel ports 0, 1 and 2, or 1, 2 and 3 ?????  Doesn't the ESS have something like 2 levels of pin assignments (they did long ago when I last saw their plug-in)?  There is one level in the ESS plug-in configuration where, I think, you assign physical ports and pin to signal names, and then the normal Mach4 config dialog where you assign those ESS signal names to Mach4 signal names.

[woodfish510]

Yes estop works. When I take wire off of pin on
connector red light goes on and it shows on pc screen.

[12strings]

Good.  What about some other output signal?

I forgot to ask, do you have the 126's charge pump enabled?  What are the 126 DIP switch settings?

[woodfish510]

That's as far as I got with signals. I was playing around
with pnp switchs. But nothing with them as well. Just get led light on board. Can't get relay to talk to 107 only have led there as well on the 107 guess that only shows that it got power.